Dozens of dogs at Brown Co. shelter need homes

Shelter over capacity

Overcrowding is an issue of life or death at the Brown County Animal Shelter.

The shelter has already received 75 dogs this month, and has taken in as many as 104 in a month.

They haven't had to euthanize to create space for two years, but the recent increase in dogs has brought them very close.

Krista Kiskaden, shelter operations manager, said about 17 Chihuahuas, turned over by the same owner, are an example of the problem. The owner had more dogs than she could afford, Kiskaden said, along with another common problem.

"Six of those (dogs) were pregnant," she said. "Can you imagine if we had waited any longer to get those dogs?"

Kiskaden said many owners neglect to spay and neuter pets, which leads to more animals than the owner can care for, and those those animals typically end up in shelters.

The Brown County shelter has just enough room for 32 dogs and five puppies.

Volunteers have stepped in to help with the extra dogs, and donations have kept food in their bowls, but Kiskaden said adoptions are the only way to save the dogs' lives.

"We've had 32 dogs go to rescue and 26 dogs being adopted this month, which is excellent," Kiskaden said.

To find out more about adopting an animal from the Brown County Animal Shelter, call 937-378-3457.

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